The UAE, led by the new coach Dominique Bathenay in his first competitive outing, will face South Korea in Seoul today in a World Cup qualifying match of significant importance and one that could bury alive or revitalise the country's hopes of reaching South Africa in 2010. There is no margin for error.
After home defeats to North Korea and Saudi Arabia and the departure of coach Bruno Metsu last month, UAE take on a sturdy side who are aiming to reach their seventh successive World Cup finals. Bathenay's side cannot afford a third straight loss, but he is hopeful he can succeed where Metsu failed. "Sometimes good things happen out of enforced changes," he said. Bathenay has visited this scenario before after being given a similar task when the Dutchman Dick Advocaat packed his bags and left to take up the South Korean post.
He took them through to the preliminary rounds of the qualifiers before Metsu was appointed as head coach in June 2006 and, as assistant manager, helped the UAE win their first Gulf Cup in Jan 2007. But Metsu could not replicate this success in the Asian Championship and the two World Cup final round qualifying matches. They lost to North Korea and then Saudi Arabia, and their hopes are now hanging by a thread.
Bathenay has not lost a game for the UAE and he is positive ahead of the demands of facing South Korea. "I have told my players to just go out there and revive our World Cup hopes. There have been some changes in the line-up and I felt it was necessary after losing the first two matches." Three of the changes are enforced as the captain Abdulraheem Jumaa did not make the tour party because of injury, and midfielders Subait Khater and Helal Saeed are serving one-match bans.
The former France international admits the absence of his experienced midfield trio is a huge loss. "But we must be prepared to face such situations," he said. "I hope those who get into the team will make the best use of the opportunity." The UAE held Japan to a 1-1 in a warm-up match last Thursday and Bathenay believes his players can take positives from that game. The South Koreans will be looking for improvement after they were held 1-1 by their northern neighbours.
But Bathenay is fully aware of the task ahead. "Obviously they'll be looking for full points because it is their home game. We are not looking for a draw but if that happens I won't be disappointed. It will give us our first point. We just need to sharpen our scoring and tighten the defence. It is a tough ask but not an impossible one." Bathenay is expected to go with Ismail Matar and Ismail al Hammadi, who scored the equaliser against Japan, as the two forwards. The midfield should comprise Haider Ali, Nawaf Mubarak, Mohammed Ibrahim and Saif Mohammed. The defence, marshalled by Basheer Saeed, may include Amer Mubarak, Faris Jumaa and Abdulla Malallah and Majed Naser at goal. apassela@thenational.ae
